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A high school student who had the guts to order her drunk school bus driver to pull over and hand her the keys is surprised to learn she has been nominated for a citizen’s award by the OPP.

“I don’t feel like a hero,” said Brianne St. Onge, now 18, of Wasaga Beach. “I just did what I had to do. I’m just glad no one was hurt or killed.”

St. Onge — which means “angel” — is being nominated because she had the backbone to order the bleary-eyed bus driver to sit and wait while she called police from her cellphone last summer — she was only 17 at the time.

“He was really drunk,” she said. “He was swerving on the road.”

Once she got him to pull over she had to move him away from the steering wheel to another seat so he wouldn’t stumble and hurt himself, she said.

Police attended the scene and found Keith Rawson, 63, of Wasaga Beach with a bottle of open booze on the bus with him June 18, 2013. His breathalyzer test showed he has almost three times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood.

Rawson, a retired engineer, pleaded guilty to impaired driving in Barrie court on Wednesday and apologized for putting students in danger. He was sentenced to 15 days in jail, a 15-month driving prohibition, 50 hours of community service and one year probation. He kissed his weeping wife goodbye as a police officer escorted him away. As a first-time offender, he will likely be released from jail after serving only one week.

Justice Glenn Krelove was impressed with the young student’s actions.

“She recognized the dangers and astonishingly, took control,” said Krelove. “She is a true life hero.”

But the spirited teen, now working as a flight attendant after graduating, is not looking for extra attention.

She felt terrified when she realized her bus driver was drunk, St. Onge said.

But she insists she has no anger toward the bus driver.

“I don’t believe he’s a bad person, he’s just a person who made a really bad decision,” St. Onge added. “We are all human and we all make mistakes.”

In her victim impact statement to the court, St. Onge asked the judge to order the bus driver to get help for his alcohol problem, and also to give a donation to MADD Canada.

“This young lady has wisdom beyond her age,” said Const. Mark Kinney, who confirmed St. Onge has just been nominated for an OPP citizen’s award.

“With all cases of drunk driving, there is a potential for damage and death. Add to that the fact that there were students on that bus, makes this young lady’s actions even more outstanding. We need people like her as a role model for other young people.”

St. Onge — which means “angel” — is being nominated because she had the backbone to order the bleary-eyed bus driver to sit and wait while she called police from her cellphone last summer — she was only 17 at the time.

“He was really drunk,” she said. “He was swerving on the road.”

Once she got him to pull over she had to move him away from the steering wheel to another seat so he wouldn’t stumble and hurt himself, she said.

Police attended the scene and found Keith Rawson, 63, of Wasaga Beach with a bottle of open booze on the bus with him June 18, 2013. His breathalyzer test showed he has almost three times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood.